Burnley marked the return of top-flight football to Turf Moor after 33 years with a memorable win against Premier League champions Manchester United.
Robbie Blake's explosive first-half volley crowned a night of high emotion as Burnley mixed passion with their trademark passing style to inflict defeat on Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
Burnley keeper Brian Jensen matched Blake for heroics, saving Michael Carrick's penalty just before half-time and standing firm in the face of a predictable late siege from the champions.
Owen Coyle's Premier League newcomers had a tough introduction to life back in the top tier with an opening day defeat at Stoke City - but they demonstrated that they were swift learners by matching Manchester United in all areas and providing the moments of inspiration to claim a deserved victory.
Burnley's last league win against Manchester United came at Turf Moor in September 1968, and the ecstatic scenes sparked inside the famous old ground when referee Alan Wiley sounded the final whistle indicated the scale and significance of this triumph for Coyle and his players.
United, in contrast, were bitterly disappointing and allowed Burnley to protect their lead in relative comfort. Ferguson will be particularly concerned by the lack of pace and width on show - two qualities provided to devastating effect by Cristiano Ronaldo in recent seasons.
And for Michael Owen, wearing Ronaldo's old number seven shirt, it was a night of pure frustration as he failed to impress watching England coach Fabio Capello and was substituted just after the hour.
But this was Burnley's night, and if they needed a performance to prove to themselves that they can live comfortably alongside the elite, this was it.
Turf Moor welcomed their team to the Premier League in deafening fashion - and Burnley responded in style as they more than matched Manchester United in an enthralling first half.
Owen was making his first competitive start since his move to Old Trafford, and he should have marked it with a goal inside the first two minutes but he failed to get a touch on Evra's cross at the near post.
Burnley took time to bring order and composure to their play, but they soon settled and summer signing Steven Fletcher almost took advantage when he found time and space in the United area but twice failed to find the target.
Martin Paterson was halted by Ben Foster as he attempted to round the Manchester United keeper, but it was the shortest of reprieves as Burnley went ahead with Blake's devastating finish after 19 minutes.We're a match for anybody - Jensen
Stephen Jordan's cross was only partially cleared by Evra, leaving Blake to lash the most emphatic of right-foot volleys high past Foster to the thunderous approval of Turf Moor.
Owen had faded after a lively opening, and he was guilty of another miss as United went in search of the equaliser. He stole in at the near post to meet Wes Brown's cross, but headed wide.
He was then involved as United wasted the perfect opportunity to restore equality just before the interval when he played in Evra, who was hauled down by Blake. Carrick was the somewhat surprising choice of penalty taker, and he saw his effort saved by Jensen as he dived to his right.
Burnley might have been expected to retreat in the face of a Manchester United onslaught after the break, but they continued to push forward at every opportunity.
Blake sent a curling free-kick just wide from 20 yards, and United's failure to put concerted pressure on Burnley's defence eventually forced Ferguson into changes.
Antonio Valencia came on after 58 minutes to add pace and width at the expense of Anderson, while the subdued Owen was replaced by Dimitar Bervatov four minutes later.
Goalkeeper Jensen is a cult figure at Turf Moor, and he demonstrated why he is held in such high regard with another fine low stop from Ji-Sung Park, before rushing out to block at the feet of Ryan Giggs.
United pushed predictably for the equaliser in the closing stages, plus four agonising minutes of added time but Burnley were resolute - and Turf Moor reverberated to the sound of joyous celebration at the final whistle.
Hull 1 - 5 Tottenham
Jermain Defoe was at his clinical best as Tottenham made it two wins from two by routing Hull City at the KC Stadium.
The striker gave Spurs a deserved lead with a neat turn and shot, before Wilson Palacios strode through to smash in his first goal in English football.
Stephen Hunt's free-kick drifted in to give Hull a lifeline, but Defoe strolled through to fire home and restore the visitors' two-goal cushion.
Robbie Keane's header made it four and Defoe then slammed in a hat-trick goal.
It is only the second time in 14 years that Tottenham have kicked off the season with two wins, and it is in stark contrast to the start they made last campaign when they went eight games without a victory.
Their victory over Liverpool on Sunday may have impressed the critics, but it is the Londoners' away form that has to improve if they are to make an impression further up the league this season.
Brown 'devastated by devastating' Spurs
And even if Hull, without a win at the KC Stadium since December, are often generous opponents at home, the nature of the win will doubtless encourage manager Harry Redknapp.
Defoe was the key in a one-sided start, the striker - fresh from two goals for England this time last week - collected Tom Huddlestone's pass for the opener, turned inside Michael Turner and powered the ball into the far corner.
He then started the move that led to the second minutes later, Palacios eventually dashing on to Keane's pass and lashing in at the near post left-footed.
It prompted a change from Hull boss Phil Brown as he attempted to stop the visitors running riot - and it paid immediate dividends.
Substitute Geovanni's all-action display, full of the passion that had eluded the hosts from the first whistle, inspired his team-mates and, not long after, they pulled a goal back when Hunt's free-kick eluded everyone and bounced into the
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Suddenly Hull looked a completely different proposition and, but for a last-gasp saving tackle from Alan Hutton, could well have drawn level as Vedran Corluka's error let in Hunt 12 yards from goal with Spurs keeper Carlo Cudicini exposed.
Caleb Folan was causing Sebastien Bassong problems with his physicality, and the likes of Luka Modric and Huddlestone no longer had the freedom of the KC to dictate matters.
And that will have made Tottenham's third goal all the more frustrating for Brown, who watched on from the sidelines aghast as Keane's flick eluded defender Turner and found Defoe strolling through the middle to score with ease.
The goal appeared to knock the stuffing out of the hosts, and much of the second half was dictated by Tottenham's playmakers - Modric, Huddlestone and Keane all impressing.
We were fantastic tonight - Redknapp
Hull's biggest threat always looked like coming from set-pieces, and so it proved when Geovanni latched onto Turner's flick to guide a header towards the top corner, only for Cudicini, on for the injured Heurelho Gomes, to tip it over the bar.
Still Spurs were a constant force in attack, and after Defoe had seen his goal-bound flick from Aaron Lennon's cross deflected behind by Turner's lunge, Keane grabbed a deserved first of the season.
The Irishman began and ended the counter-attack, eventually running on to Aaron Lennon's precise clipped cross to glance a header past Boaz Myhill.
It was no more than his side deserved, and all that remained to see was whether Defoe could grab his first Tottenham hat-trick.
Defoe revels in 'best ever' hat-trick
The 26-year-old duly obliged in stoppage time, thundering home from 20 yards from Lennon's tee-up to underline the visitors' dominance.
For their part, Hull will be hoping an alarming run of form that has seen them secure only one win in 24 matches is arrested sharply - starting with Bolton at home on Saturday.
Liverpool 4 - 0 Stoke
Liverpool made amends for their opening day Premier League defeat at Tottenham with an emphatic victory against Stoke.
Fernando Torres gave the Reds the early lead when he stroked in Steven Gerrard's cross from 10 yards.
Glen Johnson then scored his first goal for the club with an acrobatic finish just before the interval.
Gerrard produced a wonderful piece of magic on the right to find Dirk Kuyt who poked in for 3-0 before substitute David Ngog nodded in in injury time.
In the end the scoreline was just about right, although there were periods after the opening goal when Liverpool looked like a team sorely missing the creative presence of Xabi Alonso.
With midfield replacement Alberto Aquilani still a few weeks away from making his debut, last season's regular substitute Lucas Leiva has been promoted to the first team.
The Brazilian was one of the better players on show in the defeat at Tottenham but against Stoke's five-man containing midfield he found it difficult to find the time to provide the sort of killer passes Alonso was renowned for.
Liverpool can improve further - Benitez
This would have caused greater consternation among the Anfield faithful had their team not taken an early lead.
Gerrard, who gave another powerhouse display, pulled a low ball back from the right which found Torres arriving to timetable - the Spaniard sidefooted his effort past keeper Thomas Sorensen.
Emiliano Insua should have made it 2-0 when Torres' cross eluded the head of Kuyt and found the full-back who positioned himself well at the far post but failed to get a good connection on the ball.
A lull in play followed largely because Stoke began to read Liverpool's attacking tactics all too easily, and it seemed that Tony Pulis' side would go into the break with the moral half-time victory.
But the visitors should have realised that the Reds under manager Rafa Benitez are anything but predictable.
With seconds remaining, Liverpool won a corner on the right which Gerrard delivered on to the head of Dirk Kuyt. The Dutchman's header was parried by Sorensen but only to Johnson who improvised instinctively.
Pulis rues early goal after Anfield defeat
Liverpool found more space after the break as Stoke realised the containing game would not win them any points.
The visitors' change in intentions led to their first shot on goal when Rory Delap forced a smart save from the largely-redundant Pepe Reina.
But from that point onwards it was all Reds traffic.
A run into the area from Johnson ended with Sorensen having to save low from the attack-minded wing-back.
Kuyt had a better chance to add to the tally when he got his feet in a mess after Sorensen palmed Gerrard's drive to the forward.
But Kuyt is known for his persistence in the final third and that paid dividends when Gerrard magical turn on the far right finished with the ball arriving at the feet of the Dutch chancer who tapped in.
And with almost the last touch of the game, substitute Ngog made the most of Sorensen's inability to deal with a deflected cross to head in under the bar.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez: "We needed to win and we needed to score goals.
"We have plenty of room for improvement though. Some players are still short of full fitness."
He added: "We are working hard to bring in new good signings. We have enough money for now."
Stoke manager Tony Pulis:"I hold my hands up, we were beaten by a better team and better players.
"Liverpool created more chances against us here last season, but just did not take them. "Today they were excellent. They do not only have Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who are world class. They have great players through their team."
Liverpool made amends for their opening day Premier League defeat at Tottenham with an emphatic victory against Stoke.
Fernando Torres gave the Reds the early lead when he stroked in Steven Gerrard's cross from 10 yards.
Glen Johnson then scored his first goal for the club with an acrobatic finish just before the interval.
Gerrard produced a wonderful piece of magic on the right to find Dirk Kuyt who poked in for 3-0 before substitute David Ngog nodded in in injury time.
In the end the scoreline was just about right, although there were periods after the opening goal when Liverpool looked like a team sorely missing the creative presence of Xabi Alonso.
With midfield replacement Alberto Aquilani still a few weeks away from making his debut, last season's regular substitute Lucas Leiva has been promoted to the first team.
The Brazilian was one of the better players on show in the defeat at Tottenham but against Stoke's five-man containing midfield he found it difficult to find the time to provide the sort of killer passes Alonso was renowned for.
Liverpool can improve further - Benitez
This would have caused greater consternation among the Anfield faithful had their team not taken an early lead.
Gerrard, who gave another powerhouse display, pulled a low ball back from the right which found Torres arriving to timetable - the Spaniard sidefooted his effort past keeper Thomas Sorensen.
Emiliano Insua should have made it 2-0 when Torres' cross eluded the head of Kuyt and found the full-back who positioned himself well at the far post but failed to get a good connection on the ball.
A lull in play followed largely because Stoke began to read Liverpool's attacking tactics all too easily, and it seemed that Tony Pulis' side would go into the break with the moral half-time victory.
But the visitors should have realised that the Reds under manager Rafa Benitez are anything but predictable.
With seconds remaining, Liverpool won a corner on the right which Gerrard delivered on to the head of Dirk Kuyt. The Dutchman's header was parried by Sorensen but only to Johnson who improvised instinctively.
Pulis rues early goal after Anfield defeat
Liverpool found more space after the break as Stoke realised the containing game would not win them any points.
The visitors' change in intentions led to their first shot on goal when Rory Delap forced a smart save from the largely-redundant Pepe Reina.
But from that point onwards it was all Reds traffic.
A run into the area from Johnson ended with Sorensen having to save low from the attack-minded wing-back.
Kuyt had a better chance to add to the tally when he got his feet in a mess after Sorensen palmed Gerrard's drive to the forward.
But Kuyt is known for his persistence in the final third and that paid dividends when Gerrard magical turn on the far right finished with the ball arriving at the feet of the Dutch chancer who tapped in.
And with almost the last touch of the game, substitute Ngog made the most of Sorensen's inability to deal with a deflected cross to head in under the bar.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez: "We needed to win and we needed to score goals.
"We have plenty of room for improvement though. Some players are still short of full fitness."
He added: "We are working hard to bring in new good signings. We have enough money for now."
Stoke manager Tony Pulis:"I hold my hands up, we were beaten by a better team and better players.
"Liverpool created more chances against us here last season, but just did not take them. "Today they were excellent. They do not only have Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, who are world class. They have great players through their team."
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